Slatwall adapter

ABSTRACT

A display panel assembly comprises a display panel, a base for supporting the display panel, and a pair of spaced panel supports coupled with the base, each panel support having a slot. An adapter for the display panel assembly comprises a panel support portion comprising a channelway defined by a pair of spaced flanges and an interconnecting web, and an insert portion comprising an insert flange extending from the web and terminating in a spacer extending generally parallel to the web. The spacer is adapted for receipt in a panel support slot and the channelway is adapted for receipt of an edge of a panel therein, the channelway having a width different than the width of the slot. Panels having a first thickness can be supported by the panel support slots and panels having a second thickness can be supported by the adapter inserted into the panel support slots.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to slatwall panel display assemblies,and in particular to an adapter for assembling slatwall panels into adisplay assembly.

2. Description of the Related Art

Temporary display assemblies are ubiquitous for commercial and retailuse. Such assemblies are used for displaying goods for sale to acustomer, and may include signage. A typical assembly may comprise apair of spaced uprights attached to a base with a panel extendingbetween and supported by the uprights. The panel may be accessible fromboth sides. Goods are displayed on the panel for selection and purchaseby a customer. The assembly can be readily assembled and disassembled asneeded.

The panel may comprise pegboard, solid wood panels, plastic panels, andthe like. The panel can be readily painted or embossed with desiredcolors, signage, and the like. Hangers can be a readily attached to thepanel for the display of goods, and can be attached to the panel atselected locations depending upon the size and desired displayconfiguration for the goods. Pegboard is a particularly desirabledisplay medium.

The uprights are frequently specially configured to accommodate apegboard or solid panel. For example, the uprights may include aninwardly facing slot extending the length of the upright into which theedge of the panel is inserted. The slot will have a width to accommodatethe thickness of the panel while minimizing movement of the panel in theslot. Since pegboard and solid panels used in such an assemblyfrequently come in ¼″ thicknesses, the width of the slot will typicallybe slightly greater than ¼″ but no larger to enable the panel to bereadily inserted and removed.

It is frequently desirable to display goods on a slatwall panel ratherthan a pegboard, or solid wood or plastic, panel. An example of aslatwall panel is described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,957to Muellerleile. It is also desirable to utilize the same base assemblyfor both a slatwall panel and a pegboard or solid panel. However, thethickness of a slatwall panel may be two to five times greater than thethickness of a pegboard or solid panel. Consequently, the slatwall panelcannot be inserted into the slot configured for a thinner panel. Theonly alternatives are to 1) use separate base assemblies for a slatwallpanel and a pegboard or solid panel, 2) modify the width of the slot,such as by cutting away a portion of the upright, in order toaccommodate the slatwall panel, 3) cut a rabbet into the slatwall panelto enable the panel edge to be inserted into the slot, or 4) run theslatwall panel between the uprights but not into the slots by attachingthe slatwall panel to the uprights, such as by tacking or welding. Thefirst alternative is very costly, the second alternative is difficult toaccomplish without ending up with an unsightly configuration and willrequire another base assembly to again utilize a pegboard or solidpanel, the third alternative is costly and potentially unsightly, andthe fourth alternative may be unsatisfactory from a performance andappearance standpoint.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A display panel assembly comprises a display panel, a base forsupporting the display panel, and a pair of spaced panel supportscoupled with the base, each panel support having a slot. An adapter forthe display panel assembly comprises a panel support portion comprisinga channelway defined by a pair of spaced flanges and an interconnectingweb, and an insert portion comprising an insert flange extending fromthe web and terminating in a spacer extending generally parallel to theweb. The spacer is adapted for receipt in a panel support slot and thechannelway is adapted for receipt of an edge of a panel therein, thechannelway having a width different than the width of the slot. Panelshaving a first thickness can be supported by the panel support slots andpanels having a second thickness can be supported by the adapterinserted into the panel support slots.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a display panel assembly comprising afirst embodiment of a slatwall adapter according to the invention.

FIG. 1A is a sectional view of a portion of the display panel assemblyillustrated in FIG. 1 taken along view line 1A-1A.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the first embodiment of theslatwall adapter illustrated in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a base assembly comprising a portion ofa display panel assembly with a pair of slatwall adapters for receipt ofa slatwall panel.

FIG. 3A is a sectional view of a portion of the display panel assemblyillustrated in FIG. 3 taken along view line 3A-3A.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the base assembly illustrated in FIG. 3showing the assembly of slatwall panels into a display panel assembly.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a secondembodiment of a slatwall adapter according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The invention comprises an adapter for a display panel assembly whichcan be attached to a display panel support adapted for support of adisplay panel having a first thickness so that a display panel having asecond thickness different than the first thickness can be supported bythe display panel support. Referring now to the drawings, and inparticular to FIG. 1, a slatwall assembly 10 according to a firstembodiment of the invention is illustrated comprising a base 12 uponwhich is supported a display panel assembly 14. The display panelassembly 14 comprises a slatwall panel 16 supported by and extendingbetween a pair of upright panel supports 18. A slatwall adapter 20according to the invention is attached to the panel supports 18 forsupport of the slatwall panel 16.

Referring also to FIG. 1A, the panel supports 18 comprise elongatedmembers having a generally rectilinear cross-sectional configuration,and having a generally rectilinear panel slot 22 extending the length ofthe support 18. The supports 18 are attached to the base 12 so that thepanel slots 22 are oriented toward one another for support of a paneltherebetween. The slatwall adapter 20 comprises a panel support portion24 and an insert portion 26 adapted so that the insert portion 26 can beinserted into the panel slot 22. Preferably, the slatwall adapter 20 hasa length approximately equal to the length of each support 18.

FIG. 2 illustrates the cross-sectional configuration of the slatwalladapter 20. The slatwall adapter 20 comprises a web 30 having a panelface 42 and an opposed insert face 44. The web 30 transitions at a firstend to a half flange 32, and at a second end to a full flange 34. Thehalf flange 32 and the full flange 34 extend generally orthogonally tothe web 30 in parallel, spaced-apart disposition. A first portion of thefull flange 34 comprises a panel flange 36, which with the web 30 andthe half flange 32 defines the panel support portion 24. The panelflange 36, web 30, and half flange 32 define an elongated, channel-likepanel slot 46 extending the length of the slatwall adapter 20. Asemi-cylindrical, rail-like spacer 48 extends into the panel slot 46from the panel face 42 intermediate the panel flange 36 and the halfflange 32.

A second portion of the full flange 34 comprises an insert flange 38,extending orthogonally away from the insert face 44 of the web 30. Theinsert flange 38 transitions away from the web 30 to a stabilizer flange40. The stabilizer flange 40 extends orthogonally to the insert flange38 parallel to the web 30. The stabilizer flange 40 extends generallythe length of the slatwall adapter 20 and has a length orthogonal to thelength of the slatwall adapter 20 adapted for generally slidableinsertion of the insert portion 26 into the panel slot 22 as illustratedin FIG. 1A.

The slatwall adapter 20 fabricated of a material having suitablestrength and rigidity for the purposes described herein. Such materialscan include aluminum, steel, plastic, and the like. The slatwall adapter20 can be an aluminum or plastic extrusion, or a formed or roll-formedsteel or aluminum.

FIG. 3 illustrates the use of the slatwall adapter 20 for support of aslatwall panel in a display panel assembly configured to support a thindisplay panel (not shown), such as pegboard, a solid wood or plasticpanel, or tack board. After the thin display panel has been removed, aslatwall adapter 20 is installed to each panel support 18 by insertingthe insert portion 26 in the panel slot 22 so that the insert face 44 ofthe web 30 is in contact with or immediately adjacent to the panelsupport 18. As illustrated in FIG. 4, 1 or more slatwall panels 16, suchas described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,957 to Muellerleile,can be slidably inserted into the panel slots 46 in each slatwalladapter 20 to create a display panel extending the height of the panelsupports 18 (FIG. 1).

The spacer 48 will control the depth to which the panels 16 can beinserted into the panel slot 46. A preferred means of fabricating theslatwall adapter 20 is through a well-known extrusion process. Theextrusion process will result in a radius corner where the flanges 32,36 join the web 30. If the slatwall panel 16 is inserted too far intothe panel slot 46, the edge of the panel 16 can bind in the radiuscorner, thereby making installation and removal of the panel 16difficult. The spacer 48 prevents this binding from occurring.

If desired, the slatwall panels 16 can be removed, followed by removalof the slatwall adapters 20, and a thin display panel can again beinstalled in the display panel assembly by inserting the edges of thethin display panel in the panel slots 22. Thus, a single display panelassembly can be utilized for both thin display panels and slatwalldisplay panels.

FIG. 5 illustrates a second embodiment of a slatwall adapter 60comprising a panel support portion 80 and an insert portion 82. Thepanel support portion 80 comprises a web 62 and a pair of flanges 64, 66extending orthogonally from both ends of a panel face 68 of the web 62.The flanges 64, 66 and a web 62 define a panel slot 72 adapted forreceipt of a slatwall panel (not shown) therein. A semi-cylindrical,rail-like spacer 74 extends away from the panel face 68 longitudinallyalong a midline of the web 62. The insert portion 82 comprises an insertflange 78 extending orthogonally away from an insert face 70 of the web62 opposite the panel slot 72. The insert web 76 terminates in an insertflange 78 extending orthogonal thereto, generally parallel to the web62.

The slatwall adapter 60 is assembled to the panel support 80 byinserting the insert portion 82 into the panel slot 22 of the panelsupport 18 so that the insert face 70 of the web 62 is in contact withor adjacent to the panel support 18. The slatwall panels 16 can then beslidably inserted into the panel slots 72 to form the slatwall assembly10, as previously described herein. The slatwall adapter 60 is utilizedto center the slatwall panels 16 with respect to the panel supports 18,which may be desirable with panel supports 18 that extend from a midlineof the base 12 rather than an edge of the base 12 as illustrated in FIG.1.

Alternatively, the slat wall adapter 20, 60 can be fabricated as anintegral part of the slatwall panel 16 or adapted to be fixedlyattachable to the slatwall panel 16, such as by a friction orinterference fit, to provide a panel/adapter assembly which can beengaged with the panel supports 18 as a single, integrated unit.

In another embodiment, the slatwall adapter can be configured to supporta thin panel, such as ¼-inch plywood, in a panel slot along a panelsupport that is sized to receive a slatwall panel. Thus, the adapterenables the support of a thin panel in a slot that is configured for athicker panel.

While the invention has been specifically described in connection withcertain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that thisis by way of illustration and not of limitation. Reasonable variationand modification are possible within the scope of the forgoingdisclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of theinvention which is defined in the appended claims.

1. An adapter for a display panel assembly comprising a display panel, abase for supporting the display panel, a pair of spaced panel supportscoupled with the base, each panel support having a slot, the adaptercomprising: a panel support portion having a width different than thewidth of the slot; and an insert portion for coupling the adapter withthe panel support; wherein the insert portion is adapted for receipt inthe panel support slot and the panel support portion is adapted forreceipt of an edge of a panel therein, so that a panel having a firstthickness can be supported by the panel support slots and a panel havinga second thickness can be supported by adapters inserted into the panelsupport slots.
 2. An adapter according to claim 1 wherein the secondthickness is greater than the first thickness.
 3. An adapter accordingto claim 1 wherein the panel support portion comprises a channelwaydefined by a pair of spaced flanges and an interconnecting web, and theinsert portion comprises an insert flange extending from the web andterminating in a spacer extending generally parallel to the web.
 4. Anadapter according to claim 1 wherein the adapter comprises a unitarybody.
 5. An adapter according to claim 1 wherein the adapter isfabricated of one of aluminum, steel, or plastic.
 6. An adapteraccording to claim 1 wherein the adapter is formed from one of anextrusion process, a forming process or a roll-formed process.
 7. Anadapter according to claim 3 wherein the insert flange extends from anedge of the web.
 8. An adapter according to claim 3 wherein the insertflange extends from a centerline of the web.
 9. An adapter according toclaim 1 wherein the panel having the first thickness is a pegboardpanel.
 10. An adapter according to claim 1 wherein the panel having thesecond thickness is a slatwall panel.
 11. A slatwall adapter incombination with a display panel assembly, comprising: a base forsupporting the display panel assembly; a pair of spaced panel supportscoupled with the base, each panel support having a slot adapted toreceive an edge of a first panel for supporting the first paneltherebetween; and an adapter comprising an insert portion for insertioninto a slot, and a panel support portion comprising a channelway forreceipt of an edge of a second panel therealong having a thicknessdifferent than the thickness of the first panel; whereby the secondpanel can be incorporated into the display panel assembly by insertingan edge of the second panel into the channelway and inserting the insertportion into a slot.
 12. A combination according to claim 11 wherein theadapter comprises a unitary body.
 13. A combination according to claim11 wherein the adapter is fabricated of one of aluminum, steel, orplastic.
 14. A combination according to claim 11 wherein the adapter isformed from one of an extrusion process, a forming process, or aroll-formed process.
 15. A combination according to claim 11 wherein thepanel support portion comprises a pair of spaced flanges extendinggenerally orthogonally from a first side of a web to define achannelway.
 16. A combination according to claim 15 wherein the insertportion comprises an insert flange extending generally orthogonally froma second side of the web and terminating in a spacer extending generallyparallel to the web.
 17. A combination according to claim 15 wherein theinsert portion extends from an edge of the web.
 18. A combinationaccording to claim 15 wherein the insert flange extends from acenterline of the web.
 19. A combination according to claim 11 whereinthe first panel is a slatwall panel.
 20. A combination according toclaim 11 wherein the second panel is a pegboard panel.
 21. An adapterfor a display panel assembly comprising a display panel, a base forsupporting the display panel, a pair of spaced panel supports coupledwith the base, each panel support having a slot, the adapter comprising:a panel support portion comprising a channelway defined by a pair ofspaced flanges and an interconnecting web; and an insert portioncomprising an insert flange extending from the web and terminating in aspacer extending generally parallel to the web; wherein the spacer isadapted for receipt in a panel support slot and the channelway isadapted for receipt of an edge of a panel therein, so that a panelhaving a thickness different than the width of the slot can be supportedby the panel supports without inserting the panel into the slot.
 22. Anadapter according to claim 21 wherein the adapter comprises a unitarybody.
 23. An adapter according to claim 21 wherein the adapter isfabricated of one of aluminum, steel, or plastic.
 24. An adapteraccording to claim 21 wherein the adapter is formed from one of anextrusion process, a forming process, or a roll-formed process.
 25. Anadapter according to claim 21 wherein the insert portion extends from anedge of the web.
 26. An adapter according to claim 21 wherein the insertportion extends from a centerline of the web.
 27. An adapter accordingto claim 21 wherein the display panel is a slatwall panel.